Spirit Medical offers full EMT scholarships

Spirit will accept scholarship applications from individuals who have an interest in becoming emergency medical technicians and working full-time for Spirit once they’ve successfully completed their class, passed their national EMT test and completed training. The “full-ride” scholarship involves a two-year, full-time, employment commitment to Spirit.

Application requests can be at www.spiritmedicaltransport.com or by emailing swilson@spiritmedicaltransport.com.

Candidates applying for the scholarship have until 5 p.m., Dec. 7 to apply. After submitting the application, candidates will be interviewed on a first-come, first-served basis by the director of employee relations. Panel interviews of scholarship finalists will take place Dec. 12 and 13 at the Greenville office. Orientation will be at 6 p.m., Dec. 15. Successful candidates will be paid while attending the classes.

The classes are a partnership between Spirit Medical Transport LLC, and Four County Career Center in Archbold. Classes will be in Spirit’s Greenville office, five days a week, starting Jan. 3. For those not living in the Greenville area, transportation options to and/or from class will be available.

Company officials say the program being offered by Spirit is unique and mutually beneficial.

“The biggest challenge people normally face is lacking the financial means to pay for the class and/or the dedicated time it takes to meet all the course requirements,” said Vice President Aaron L. Guthrie. “The scholarship program gives them the best of both worlds. Not only do they earn an income while attending class, they graduate with the opportunity to have national and state EMS certification with a clear career path for many years to come.”

“There’s a growing need for well-qualified EMTs in the areas we serve,” said Spirit President/CEO Brian K. Hathaway. “In the past, we’ve chosen to spin our wheels and have employed individuals who applied after working for our competition in most cases. This program allows us to grow our own group of people and train them the ‘Spirit’ way.”

Company officials say they will graduate 14 EMTs from their first class in a ceremony at the Mercer County Fairgrounds in Celina, Dec. 10. Fifteen students started that program, with 14 passing the class final. Many of these students are currently scheduling their national EMT test. The remainder passed the test on their first attempt and have started training with Spirit’s field training officers.

With offices in Greenville, Celina, Sidney, Van Wert and Liberty, Indiana, Hathaway said the scholarship is open to people who live near their respective service areas.

“As a company, our mission is to have local people taking care of local people as much as possible,” Hathaway said. “To do this, we’ve established a scholarship program that not only creates a solution to the EMT shortage, but brings more jobs to the local communities we serve. The mission also provides additional resources for those volunteer and part-time organizations in need of EMS professionals, just like us. As a company, we are pleased to open the doors of opportunity to those individuals who are in pursuit of a rewarding career and have a passion to serve people during some of the roughest days of their lives. It’s so exciting to enable personal growth and career success to those who want to join us and our commitment to serve the community.”